Highlights

Our rating methodologies describe the analytical framework rating committees use to assign ratings. As set forth in the methodologies, our methodologies are not intended to present an exhaustive treatment of all factors reflected in our ratings. Rather, they describe the key qualitative and quantitative considerations that are usually most important for assessing credit risk in a given sector. Each rating committee applies its own judgment in determining whether or how to emphasize rating factors it considers to be of particular significance.

Although most of our methodologies apply to a particular industry, sector or class of issuers or transactions, some describe our approach to analytical considerations that aren’t specific to any single sector. Typically these cross-sector methodologies cover general credit-related topics and can be used in conjunction with sector-specific methodologies to assign ratings.

The Methodology Development Group (MDG) develops and the Methodology Review Group (MRG) reviews and approves our methodologies for all rating groups, including sovereign, financial institutions, structured finance, corporate finance, and public, project and infrastructure finance.